Page 69 of My Damaged Protector

Sighing, I force myself to eat the food brought for me. Not for my sake, but for the sake of having some energy.

When I'm done, the sleep I thought was going to overcome me is now distant. I roll restlessly in bed, unable to get a wink of sleep. I give up on sleeping about two hours into my endless rolling about and exit my room.

Ian is asleep when I enter the living room, which isn't much of a surprise.

Walking toward him, I watch him sleep for a few minutes, wondering how he's going to react when he finds out the secret I'm keeping from him.

He'll probably reject me like he always does.

Knowing him, he'll give me one bullshit reason about how he doesn't think he'll be good enough and then run away from me.

Can I really handle that?

Can I tell him the truth?

And if I decide not to, how much longer can I keep the truth away from him?

A couple of months? Tops.

I hate this. I hate this whole situation. I step out onto my aunt’s porch to get some air.

“Can't sleep?” Ian's voice comes from behind me, shocking me.

My grip on the railing slips, and I find myself flying forward, but I never make it to the ground. Ian's hands wrap around my waist, and instead of falling onto the floor, I fall into his chest.

Damn, he is solid.

I look down at his chest, his very naked chest, and flex my palms. He must have removed his shirt before he fell asleep. How I hadn't noticed that is beyond me.

This whole thing is driving me mad.

Driven by the need to forget all that's happening, I raise my head, and I see that his eyes are on me.

Swallowing, I push forward and let my lips touch his. He doesn't say anything, and he doesn't push me away.

Not that I was expecting him to.

I let my lips softly brush over his. He moans. I groan. My whole body becomes liquid with need.

I need him.

I ditch soft and easy and go for hard and passionate.

His hands on my waist flex, and he grabs me harder. His big palm sears hot through the flimsy material of my nightwear.

I suddenly wish the material wasn't even there to begin with, flimsy or not. I want us both naked and connected. Who knows if this is the last time I'll ever get to have him again?

He may leave when he finds out the truth.

Taking my hands to the back of his neck, I press further into his body. My nipples are now perked and in need of any sort of friction. I rub them against his chest, and he groans, his breath harsh against my lips.

Just when my inside begins to melt with giddiness thinking he's going to take me here and now, he breaks the kiss and pulls away from me.

“Why did you stop?” I ask him in confusion.

“This isn't right, Sarah. I know you're hiding something from me.”

No. No. No.

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